a drawing a day at nznl.com - Sunday, November 7th, 2004 - I AM A LIVING ENTITY THROUGH WHICH THINGS FLOW. INFORMATION, IDEAS, AIR, WATER, POLLUTANTS, FOOD, EXPECTATIONS, ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATIONS. I FEEL THAT I HAVE A FRAGMENTED IDENTITY, WHICH IS CONTINUOUSLY SHIFTING ITS PERSPECTIVE BASED UPON WHAT OBJECTS MY BODY COMES INTO CONTACT WITH. MY TRAINING AS AN ARTIST WAS GROUNDED IN PERFORMANCE ART, VIDEO, AND TWO DIMENSIONAL VISUAL ART, AS WELL AS ART HISTORY. MY IDEAS REFLECT THIS TRAINING. MY WORK ETHIC IS BASED ON HARD PHYSICAL LABOR WHICH IS ROOTED IN THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A CATHOLIC FAMILY. MY FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS AS AN ARTIST ARE WITH NOTIONS OF RANDOMNESS AND ABSURDITY, CONCEPTS WHICH BEST DESCRIBE UNIVERSAL REALITY FOR ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL. THESE CONCEPTS ARE THE CORE OF WHAT I ATTEMPT TO EXPRESS IN MY ART. I FEEL MOST CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE IDEAS OF THE DADA MOVEMENT, OF EARLY PERFORMANCE HISTORY, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE EXPERIMENTATION WHICH WENT ON DURING THE GERMAN PHASE OF THE BAUHAUS. MY ART IS ABOUT EXPERIMENTATION. IT IS ABOUT ABSURDITY. IT IS ABOUT RANDOMNESS. IT LENDS ITSELF MORE TO THE CONCEPTUAL TRADITION OF THE 20TH CENTURY ART WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY I WORK FAST AND WORK IN MANY DIFFERENT MEDIUMS ATTEMPTING TO EXPRESS THESE CONCEPTS, BE IT 3 X 100 FT. COLLAGE SCROLLS OR STAPLING ART TO TELEPHONE POLES OR PERFORMING ANONYMOUSLY IN A PUBLIC PARK OR PUTTING ARTWORK ON PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION, PAINTING FURIOUSLY OR USING JUNK AS COLLAGE MATERIAL; MY WORK IS QUICK AND ACCUMULATIVE AND DEFINITELY CONCEPTUAL. IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE IDEALISM OF ART, THE IDEA THAT ART IS TRANSFORMATIVE, HEALING, AND FUNDAMENTALLY HUMAN. SO THIS IS MY ARTIST'S STATEMENT. THANKS FOR READING IT. I AM FASCINATED BY HOW CATACLYSMIC EVENTS IMPACT LIFE. LIFE IS EPHEMERAL AND SUPERFICIAL REALITY AN ILLUSION. NO MATTER WHAT STEPS WE TAKE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST THREATS TO OUR SURVIVAL, THERE ARE ULTIMATELY NO GUARANTEES. WE WILL NEVER BE IN TOTAL CONTROL. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ENTITLE US TO SIT IN THE BLEACHERS OF THE GAME OF LIFE, WAITING TO GET HIT BY A BALL. MY ART, AS THAT OF MOST ARTISTS, IS A RESPONSE TO MY ENVIRONMENT. THE INTERNET, NEWS PROGRAMS AND THE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN FRIENDS AND STRANGERS ALL SERVE AS RAW MATERIALS FOR THE CREATION OF MY WORK. THE GREATEST EXCITEMENT FOR ME IS GENERATED BY SOLVING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXECUTION OF MY IDEAS. FINDING THE RIGHT INFORMATION, IMAGES, AND SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE TECHNIQUE FOR REPRESENTING MY THOUGHTS IS WHAT GIVES MY DAY ITÕS MEANING. WOULD IT BE MORE EFFECTIVE TO USE HUMOR, SATIRE OR SHOCK TO ILLUSTRATE MY THOUGHTS? HOW CAN I CREATE THE MOST POWERFUL WORK TO REPRESENT THE FEELINGS OF MY SOUL? I DO NOT LIMIT MYSELF TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR MATERIAL OR FORM TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS. I SELECT WHATEVER I DEEM TO BE THE MOST SUITABLE MEDIUM OR FORMAT FOR THE EXPRESSION OF MY THOUGHTS AND THE CREATION OF THE STRONGEST WORK. I FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ARTIST TO DO THIS IN THE HOPE OF TOUCHING THE HUMAN HEART AND PREVENTING THIS WORLD FROM CAREENING TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. I DO NOT SEE THE CREATION OF BEAUTY OR NOVELTY AS THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF ART, BUT INSTEAD, FEEL THAT ART SHOULD ENGAGE THE HEART AND MIND, AND, THEREBY, HOPEFULLY CHANGE THIS WORLD INTO A MORE PEACEFUL ONE. A PORCELAIN ARTIST WITH A BS IN THE SCIENCES AND A MASTERS OF FINE ARTS, HAS BEEN A HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS TEACHER FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. IN HIS EVOLVING OCTAHEDRAL PORCELAIN PROCESS, EFFORTLESSLY COMBINES ELEMENTS FROM BOTH THE SCIENCES AND THE ARTS. SEVEN YEARS IN ITS EVOLUTION, THIS APPROACH TO SCULPTING SPHERICAL PORCELAIN VESSELS FOCUSES ON COMBINING THE EXACTITUDE OF MEASUREMENT, THE MATHEMATICS OF THE SPHERE AND EXERCISES IN GEOMETRY WITH THE UNIQUE AESTHETICS OF EMBEDDED DESIGN. ART DRAWS ITS INSPIRATION FROM HIS ARABIC HERITAGE. HIS WORKS BRING TOGETHER IN THREE DIMENSIONS THE SAME SYMMETRICAL ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE THE BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ISLAMIC SACRED ART. HISTORICALLY, ISLAMIC ARTISTS MASTERED THE APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICS TO PATTERNED TILINGS BECAUSE THEIR WORK COULD CONTAIN NO GRAVEN IMAGES. THESE INTERLACED DESIGNS EMBODY AN UNBROKEN RHYTHM, REGULARITY AND INTERWOVENNESS THAT ONLY SUCH ABSTRACT FORMS CAN CONVEY. FINISHED VESSELS INTRODUCE CURVATURE TO THE EMBEDDED DESIGNS, AT ONCE BOTH NATURAL AND ABSTRACT, BRINGING A NEW DIMENSION TO THE GEOMETRIC ART EXPERIENCE. DESIGNS, HOWEVER, UNLIKE TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC DESIGN, ALSO COMBINE BOTH CHAOS AND ORDER IN A SYMMETRICALLY UNIFIED "WHOLE." APPROACH TO DESIGN IN PORCELAIN ALSO DRAWS FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER ARTIST/SCIENTISTS IN HISTORY, MOST NOTABLY BUCKMINSTER FULLER, WHO EXPLORED THE ENERGETIC GEOMETRY OF THE SPHERE IN HIS "SYNERGETIC GEOMETRY" AND WAS BEST KNOWN AS THE INVENTOR OF THE GEODESIC DOME. AS HE BEGAN TO BRING BUCKY'S APPROACH FROM SYNERGETICS INTO HIS EFFORTS TO DIVIDE THE SPHERE, DEFINE THE PLANES OF TRUNCATION OF POLYHEDRA TO FORM MODULES AND TO RECOMBINE THE MODULES INTO NEW FORMS, THE MORE BEAUTIFUL AND HARMONIOUS THE RESULTING DESIGNS HAVE BECOME. THE EMBEDDED GEOMETRIC DESIGN PATTERNS OF THESE UNIQUE PORCELAIN VESSELS EMBODY MANY OF FULLER'S ELABORATIONS OF SYNERGETICS, A GEOMETRIC SYSTEM BASED ON HIS ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND "NATURE'S DESIGN." EXAMINES THE EFFECTS OF TOTALITARIANISM, SURVEILLANCE, QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION, AND MUTATION ON BOTH THE VICTIMS OF SARS AND THOSE SPARED BY THE SCOURGE OF THIS AND OTHER DISEASES. HIS CONCLUSION: NO MATTER WHAT STEPS WE TAKE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST THIS DISEASE AND OTHER THREATS TO SURVIVAL, THERE ARE ULTIMATELY NO GUARANTEES. LIFE IS EPHEMERAL. WE WILL NEVER BE IN TOTAL CONTROL. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ENTITLE US TO SIT IN THE BLEACHERS OF THE GAME OF LIFE, WAITING TO GET HIT BY A BALL. IN THE ÕS STUDIED PAINTING IN TAIPEI UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE CONTEMPORARY ARTIST, . FEELING CONFINED BY THE ARTISTIC ENVIRONMENT OF TAIPAI, IN 'S HE MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE STUDIED ART & DESIGN AT THE PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND PRATT INSTITUTE. HE GRADUATED WITH A MASTERS DEGREE FROM PRATT. AT THE NEW SCHOOL, JOHN BRZOSTOSKI INTRODUCED TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAO-TSU. THIS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON HIM AND HIS ART. FOR LAO TSU, THE ULTIMATE PARADOX CONCERNS THE NATURE OF REALITY ITSELF. HE REGARDED SUPERFICIAL REALITY AS AN ILLUSION. TRUE REALITY, IN HIS OPINION, IS HIDDEN FROM US BY OUR USE OF WORDS. LAO TSUÕS WORD FOR THIS HIDDEN REALITY IS ÒTAOÓ. CHIN CHIH BEGAN TO INCORPORATE TAOIST CONCEPTS INTO HIS PAINTINGS. IN THE LATE 90ÕS, ESTABLISHED 123SOHO.COM AS A LIBRARY OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. HE SERVES AS THE CURATOR OF THE WEBSITE SINCE . CURRENTLY, 123SOHO HAS APPROXIMATELY ARTISTS. CHIN CHIH REGARDS 123SOHO AS A LIVING PIECE OF ART THAT CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVES. CHIN CHIHÕS FIRST IMAGE IN THIS SERIES IS ENTITLED ÒI AM READYÓ. IT WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE WAR ON AIDS IN , ADAPTED TO THE CRISIS GENERATED BY EVENTS OF 9/11, AND TAILORED TO THE IRAQ WAR. IT DEPICTS A MANÕS GENITALIA MODESTLY COVERED BY A WORLD WAR ONE GAS MASK. I BEGIN MY WORK WITH WHITE FABRIC BECAUSE I SEE ITS POSSIBILITIES. FABRIC CAN BE USED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. IT IS AN OBEDIENT, FORGIVING MATERIAL. I WANT EVERY PROCESS AND TECHNIQUE THAT I USE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTENT OF MY WORK SO I DYE, PRINT AND PAINT MY OWN IMAGES. THE NATURE OF FABRIC IS THAT IT ACCEPTS COLOR AND SO IT IS MORE RESPONSIVE TO ME. I LIKE TO YIELD TO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PROCESS WHILE WORKING. FABRIC IS SENSUAL AND CAN BE MANIPULATED. IT CAN BE MADE TO HAVE WEIGHT, MASS, AND TEXTURE. IT CREATES ATMOSPHERE BY REFLECTING AND CHANGING ITS APPEARANCE IN LIGHT. FOR ME, THE RESULT IS A MATERIAL WITH THE POTENTIAL OF AN INFINITE EXPANSION OF EXPRESSION AND FORM. I PLACE MYSELF SOLIDLY IN A TEXTILE TRADITION AND BECAUSE OF THAT I FEEL FREE TO USE ANY TEXTILE TECHNIQUE THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO MY WORK. I LOOK BACK IN HISTORY TO SEE WHERE I CAME FROM, BUT THE NEW COMES THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING. AS IT WAS WITH MY PREDECESSORS, THE EMBROIDERERS, QUILTERS AND LACE MAKERS WHO WORKED WITH FABRIC AND THREAD, TIME IS NOT A FACTOR WHEN I WORK. I DO NOT CHOOSE TO REJECT A TECHNIQUE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS LABORIOUS. I BASE MY WORK ON GEOLOGICAL RATHER THAN TV TIME. I AM OBSESSED WITH EVERY COLORED SPOT OF DYE AND HOW IT LOOKS NEXT TO ANOTHER COLORED SPOT. THE USE OF MY FABRICS HAS LED ME TO CREATE A BODY OF WORK THAT BEGINS FROM THE DYEING AND PRINTING OF THE FABRIC TO ITS CONSTRUCTION ON THE SEWING MACHINE. USING THE TECHNIQUE OF FREE-MOTION EMBROIDERY ON THE SEWING MACHINE HAS ALLOWED ME TO INTRODUCE TEXTURE AND LACE IN MY WORK, AND TO BUILD THE QUILTS IN A UNIQUE WAY. RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTING AND SEWING THEM IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY, I SEW THE WORK BY PIECING THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS TOGETHER USING APPLIQUƒ, QUILTING, SEWING MACHINE LACE AND EMBROIDERY. THE LACE WORK THAT JOINS THE PIECES TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE RESULTING NEGATIVE SPACE. THIS ENABLES ME TO ELIMINATE THE BACKGROUND THAT IS USUALLY USED TO HOLD THE IMAGE TOGETHER. I WANT THE TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE MY SUBJECT. WITH THE BASIC THEME OF PARADISE AND THE USE OF MY IMAGERY I AM ABLE TO USE THE VARIOUS FORMS OF PLANT LIFE, FLOWERS, VINES, STEMS, AND INSECTS. MY OBJECTIVE IS TO PRODUCE A SERIES OF QUILTS THAT ARE MOTIVATED BY METAPHORS OF PARADISE AND THE EVOCATIVE USE OF NATURE TO INSPIRE SPIRITUAL AND UPLIFTING FEELINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO PLACE MYSELF WITH THOSE ARTISTS WHO HAVE ESTABLISHED AN UNBROKEN HISTORY OF WORKS OF ART DEALING WITH THE THEME OF PARADISE. THE SUBJECTS THAT I WISH TO ADDRESS ARE LARGELY TRADITIONAL, SUCH AS TREES, GARDEN, FLOWERS, ANIMALS, FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. THESE VISUAL IMAGES OFFER ME ASSOCIATIONS WITH MANY LEVELS OF MEANING. JAPANESE SCREENS AND 1ST CENTURY ROMAN GARDEN ROOMS ARE HISTORICAL EXAMPLES THAT USE NATURE SYMBOLISM. THE WALL PAINTINGS IN IMPERIAL ROMAN GARDEN ROOMS OF THE LATE1ST CENTURY BC AND EARLY 1ST CENTURY AD WERE RICH WITH SYMBOLISM. IN THESE ROOMS PEOPLE COULD REFRESH THEIR MINDS WHILE CONTEMPLATING NATURE. THE SAME CONTEMPLATION WAS USED AS THE BASIS FOR JAPANESE SCREENS. THE IMAGES ON THE SCREENS WERE MEANT TO INSPIRE A FEELING FOR THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND THE JAPANESE IDEA OF MONO-NO-AWARE, THE "PATHOS OF THINGS". I CHOOSE TREES, LEAVES, FLOWERS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND INSECTS FOR SIMILAR REASONS. I WANT TO CONSTRUCT THE CHARACTER OF NATURE AND PARADISE FROM ITS SMALLER PARTS. I ALSO WANT TO BRING PERPETUAL SUMMER INDOORS, THE COOL OF THE FOREST, THE HEAT IN THE MEADOW AND THE WHINE OF INSECTS IN THE GRASS. I CAN PAINT ON SITE FROM LIFE OR ENTIRELY FROM PHOTOGRAPHIC REFERENCE ALTHOUGH MY PREFERENCE IS TO USE A MIXTURE OF REFERENCE MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES TO HEIGHTEN THE VISUAL RELATIONSHIP. I BEGIN WITH LIFE SITTINGS, GATHERING AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLIENT AND POSE AS IS NECESSARY. COMPOSITIONAL AND FEATURE SKETCHES AND COLOUR REFERENCE CHARTS ARE NOTED FOR ACCURACY AND A SERIES OF BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TAKEN FOR FORM AND STRUCTURE. I CARRY OUT MOST OF THE WORK IN MY STUDIO, WHICH OFTEN FAVOURS THE CLIENTÕS SCHEDULE AND PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OVERLY SYMPATHETIC OR BIASED APPROACH ( THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE MOST ACCURATE ). FINALLY, I RETURN TO COMPLETE THE PORTRAIT FROM LIFE, USUALLY ONLY A FEW SITTINGS ARE NECESSARY AND AT THIS POINT THE CLIENT WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE ADVICE ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES. AFTER THE PAINTING HAS BEEN RESOLVED, I BUILD A FRAME AS A FINISH TO THE WORK AND TO ADD SUPPORT TO THE CANVAS, HOWEVER, IF A MORE ELABORATE FRAME IS MORE SUITABLE, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO OFFER MY OPINION. I SEPARATE PORTRAITURE FROM ART THE SAME WAY ONE WOULD WITH WORK AND PLAY. EVEN THOUGH I ENJOY BOTH EQUALLY, PORTRAITURE DEMANDS RESPECT, WHEREAS MY ART IS FOUNDED BY A PERSONAL, PSYCHOANALYTICAL EXPERIMENT, NO USE TO ANYONE AND GENERALLY PURCHASED BY NO ONE. THE COMMITMENT TO PORTRAITURE ENCOURAGES THE FRIVOLITY IN MY ART HOWEVER IT ENABLES ME TO AVOID EVER INCREASING COMMERCIAL POPULARITY. IN PORTRAIT PAINTING THE REPUTATIONS OF BOTH ARTIST AND CLIENT ARE IN THE BALANCE, THEREFORE COMPROMISE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION. HARMONY CAN BE FOUND BETWEEN THE PAINTERS IDEALISTIC AMBITION AND THE CLIENTÕS PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS. WE MUST USE AN INTUITIVE DISCRETION TO FIND SENSITIVITY, EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING, VIRTUES THAT FORM THE ESSENCE OF ANY SUCCESSFUL WORK. PORTRAITURE PROVIDES A SOCIAL PLATFORM ON WHICH ONE CAN ASPIRE TO BELONG, INTRODUCING EXAMPLES OF COMMON REALITY WITH INSPIRATIONAL POSSIBILITY. THE ARTIST IS THE MEDIUM, THE CONTROL ELEMENT NEEDED TO UNITE AND HAS THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO PROJECT THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF DIFFERENCE AND ELIMINATE THE DISCRIMINATORY STIGMAS ATTACHED TO RACE, CLASS AND SEX. THE PORTFOLIO BECOMES A SOCIAL VOCABULARY UNIVERSALLY READ, UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED BY ALL. I BUILD ELECTRONIC MACHINES THAT INTERACT WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT. MY HOPE IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE OBSERVING AND CONTEMPLATING WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING. AN OBSERVER IS ESSENTIAL TO WHAT I CREATE, AND IT IS THIS ACTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBJECT AND VIEWER THAT I STRIVE TO CALL INTO ATTENTION. BY MAKING THE OBSERVATION AND INTERACTION WITH OBJECTS THE FOCUS OF MY WORK I'M TRYING TO RE-THINK THE WAY I INTERACT WITH OBJECTS IN MY OWN ENVIRONMENT. I AM SELF TAUGHT IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRONICS AND EVERYTHING I BUILD IS A PERSONAL EXPLORATION INTO THE FUNCTIONING OF DEVICES OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED. WHILE THE PRACTICAL FUNCTIONING OF THE DEVICES I CREATE OFTEN SEEM SIMPLE, THEY ARE FOR THE MOST PART CONSTRUCTED OUT OF RAW COMPONENTS AND CAN BE QUITE COMPLEX. FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY A LIGHT BULB IS TRIGGERED TO FLASH WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON IS STANDING IN FRONT OF IT TRIGGERING A MOTION SENSOR. SIMPLE IN OPERATION BUT COMPLEX TO ACTUALLY BUILD. I ENJOY BUILDING INTERACTIVE DEVICES, AND I DERIVE A GREAT DEAL OF SATISFACTION FROM THE PROBLEM SOLVING AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THEM. IT IS MY HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCE MY WORK, THEY QUESTION BOTH THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PIECE OF ART THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AND OF OTHER OBJECTS THEY INTERACT WITH DAILY. MASTER'S DEGREE IN FINE ARTS FROM THE GERRIT RIETVELD ACADEMY OF ART IN AMSTERDAM, WHERE SHE STUDIED PAINTING, DRAWING, GRAPHICS AND ART HISTORY. FOLLOWING HER FORMAL TRAINING, SHE UNDERTOOK EXTENSIVE TRAVELS TO COUNTRIES AS WIDESPREAD AS AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, POLYNESIA, JAPAN, CHINA, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA,AND HER EXPOSURE TO VARIED AND UNFAMILIAR CULTURES IS REFLECTED IN BOTH THE TECHNIQUE AND THE CONTENT OF HER WORK. ELEONORA TAMMES HAS EXHIBITED HER ARTWORK IN GALLERIES THROUGHOUT THE NETHERLANDS, SWITZERLAND, ENGLAND AND THE U.S.A. THE WORKS ON PAPER BY ELEONORA TAMMES ARE NON-FIGURATIVE. A RHYTHMIC BUILD-UP, THE SUGGESTION OF CHANGE, ORGANIC PROCESSES, FORM REPETITIONS AND STRUCTURES DOMINATE THE COMPOSITIONS. CENTRAL IS THE COMBINATION OF SHAPES AND LINE PATTERNS, COLOR SHADES AND MOVEMENT. CLOSE STUDY OF HER WORK REVEALS A FASCINATION WITH FORM AND PROPORTION. AS IF, FOR HER, PAINTING IS A MATTER AND MANNER OF RESEARCH INTO THE WAYS ELEMENTS OF FORM RELATE AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. HER INTENTION IS TO DISCOVER AND EMPLOY THE INTERPLAYS OF LIGHT, SHAPE, COLOR AND STRUCTURE. NOT AS A GOAL IN ITSELF, BUT TO ACHIEVE AND EXPRESS DEEPER UNDER- STANDING OF WHAT MATTERS IN OUR OWN EXISTENCE. ELEONORA TAMMES INTERPRETS AND RENDERS THE INTRINSIC OF REALITY THROUGH A WAY OF WORKING THAT ENABLES HER TO LINK DISTANCE TO INTENSITY AND REPETITION TO DYNAMICS AND EVOLUTION. COMBINING PAINTING (ACRYLICS) AND DRAWING (PAINTMARKER), SHE GENERATES HER COMPOSITIONS BY (IR)REGULAR REPETITION OF A BASIC MOTIF. SUCH A 'BUIDING STONE' , OFTEN WITH AN ABSTRACT ORGANIC SIGNATURE, IS STACKED,± HUNG, OR OTHERWISE ARRANGED TO BECOME (PART OF) A CONDITION, ATMOSPHERE, FUNCTION, TISSUE, SPACE, ORGANISM,.... . CONSEQUENTLY, MANY OF HER PAINTINGS HAVE A CERAMIC, SCULPTURAL OR EVEN ARCHITECTONIC OVERTONE. ELEONORA TAMMES: WHO IS OPERATING IN THE GAP BETWEEN THE ABSTRACT AND THE FIGURATIVE, EVOKES A RESPONSE FROM A DEEP LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS WITH HER STARK, POWERFUL IMAGERY. SHE IS AN EXPLORER OF THE INTERWOVEN PATTERNS OF EARTH, SPACE AND TIME. EMPLOYING A SUBDUED PALETTE OF MUTED EARTH COLORS, SHE EMPLOYS SUBTLY SUGGESTIVE FORMS WHICH CONVEY A SENSE OF PRIMITIVE ARCHETYPE WITHOUT EVER FORMALLY ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES, LEAVING THE VIEWER FREE TO INDENTIFY THE PRIMORDIAL SHAPES INDEPENDENTLY. AT ONCE PURE ABSTRACTION AND PROVOCATIVE ALLUSION, HER MOTIFS SEEM TO DRAW BOTH THE PREHISTORIC AND THE CONCEPTUAL FOR THEIR SOURCES.TAMMES CHARTS THE INNER PROCESS OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE PHYSICAL INTO THE METAPHYSICAL. VIGNETTES ABOUT EVERYTHING THIS WEB COMIC IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF IDEAS, IDEOLOGIES AND PHILOSOPHIES. AS WITH ALL MY WORKS IT IS PERSONAL AND IDIOSYNCRATIC. THE SCOPE OF SUBJECT IN THIS PROJECT IS FAR WIDER FROM WHAT I'VE EXPLORED BEFORE. THE POLITICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY EXPLORED IN THIS COMIC ARE ALL BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD. IT IS, AT TIMES, AND EVEN AT THE SAME TIME; ABSURD AND FUNNY; SAD AND LONELY; POIGNANT AND POLITICAL. IT HAS EXPLORED, IN A SENSE, EVERYTHING. I BELIEVE EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED; FROM THE COFFEE CUPS ON OUR CLASSROOM TABLE, TO THE COFFEE BEAN PLANTATIONS IN PERU; FROM THE PAPER IN OUR SKETCHBOOKS TO THE FORESTS OF THE OTTAWA VALLEY; FROM THE MICROSCOPIC BEINGS LIVING IN OUR FOOD TO THE ABSURDITY OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES - I WANTED TO EXPLORE AS MUCH OF IT AS I COULD. IN A SMALL WAY, IT ALSO ATTEMPTS TO CREATE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SIXTEEN STUDENTS THROWN TOGETHER IN OUR "SQUARE" GROUP. IN COMMENTING ON OUR DISPARATE "NATIONAL" HISTORIES, AND MAKING FUN OF OUR RELATIVE (AT LEAST IN MY OWN CASE) IGNORANCE OF EACH OTHER'S CULTURES, I TRIED TO, AT THE SAME TIME TOUCH UPON OUR HUMAN SIMILARITIES AND FOIBLES. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS ABOUT OUR COMMONALITY; ABOUT THE EVERYTHING ABOUT US; ABOUT OUR INTER-CONNECTEDNESS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, AFTER A GROUP CRITIQUE WITH IAN AND ALL THE ÒSQUARESÓ, I DID A SKETCH CHARACTERIZING MY CLASSMATES AND THEIR IDEAS FOR THIS SQUARE PROJECT. AFTER SOME LESS THAN SUCCESSFUL WORK ON SOME OTHER IDEAS, I CAME BACK TO THIS SKETCH AND USED THESE 16 PEOPLE AS THE BASIS OF AN INTERACTIVE COMIC WHICH ENDED UP EXPLORING FAR MORE THAN A CRITIQUE IN AN ART SCHOOL. IN RELATION TO THE 16 PEOPLE, I ADDED 16 OBJECTS FOUND WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, AND FINALLY, THE 16 COUNTRIES OR PLACES THAT EACH THEM CAME FROM. FROM EACH OF THESE 48 PANELS, I DEVELOPED A 4 PANEL COMIC THAT WOULD NOT ONLY WORK ON IT'S OWN, BUT WHEN CONNECTED WITH AND SEEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 47 OTHER SHORT COMICS, WOULD PROVIDE A DEEPER LOOK INTO OUR SEEMINGLY NORMAL EVERYDAY LIVES. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE VIGNETTES - AS I'VE NOW CALLED THEM - ARE ABSURD, RANDOM AND FUNNY, I THINK THERE IS A TRUTH IN EACH OF THEM. I WANTED A HEALTHY MIXTURE OF HUMOR, LOVE, POLITICS, AND ENVIRONMENTALISM ALL TIED TOGETHER IN A SEMI-AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MANNER. THE END RESULT IS QUITE EFFECTIVE. THIS IS A GRAPHIC EXPLORATION OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF OUR WORLD AND MY PLACE IN IT, HERE AT LONDON COLLEGE OF PRINTING, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. IT ILLUSTRATES HOW IMAGES AND WORDS CAN BE COMBINED IN A SYNERGISTIC MANNER INTO POWERFUL, DEEP, COMPLEX COMMUNICATION AND EVEN, PERHAPS, COMMUNION. I SHOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF FLOWERS THROUGH MY PAINTINGS. THERE THEY BLOOM FOREVER IN A RATHER UNCERTAIN WORLD. MY WORK IS A FORM OF STABILITY, CAPTURING AND HOLDING THE ESSENCE OF THE MOMENT FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY - A STATEMENT THAT LIFE IS EXTRAORDINARY. I FIND CLOTH BODIED BABY DOLLS AT THRIFT SHOPS AND SEND THEM TO TATTOO ARTISTS WHO THEN DRAW ORIGINAL TATTOOS DIRECTLY ON THE DOLLS. THEY SEND THE DOLLS BACK TO ME AND I HAND EMBROIDER THE IMAGES ON THE CLOTH BODIES. TWELVE OF SIXTEEN DOLLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE. THE DOLLS, LIKE THEIR ARTISTS, ARE OF DIFFERENT RACES, RELIGIOUS AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. EACH COLLABORATING ARTIST IS ASKED TO CONSIDER HER RESPONSE TO TATTOOING THE DOLL ALONG WITH MY FEEDBACK AND RESPONSE TO EMBROIDERING THE DOLL. FROM THERE SHE IS ENCOURAGED TO NAME AND THEN WRITE A SHORT STATEMENT OR STORY ABOUT HER DOLL. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT SINCE 1998. THE IDEA ORIGINATED WHILE I WAS IN RESIDENCE AT THE HEADLANDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS. WHILE STUDYING THE HISTORY OF EMBROIDERY, I WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY FASCINATED BY ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE TATTOOS I WAS SEEING IN SAN FRANCISCO. LIKE EMBROIDERY, TATTOO SEEMED TO CARRY ON A SIMILAR TRADITION OF DEEPLY SYMBOLIC IMAGES THAT WORKED TO FORM COMMUNITY AND SERVED TO DEFINE AND EMPOWER THOSE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS WAYS. I CHOSE TO RECYCLE AND TRANSFORM USED AND DISCARDED DOLLS AS A DIRECT VEHICLE FOR MERGING THE TWO ART FORMS. THE TATTOO BABY DOLL PROJECT SERVES TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND PREJUDICES ABOUT WOMENÕS WORK AND ROLES, TATTOO SUBCULTURE, CRAFT AND ART. THE PROJECT STRIKES A SUBTLE BALANCE BETWEEN THESE VARIED TRADITIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENT, THUS QUESTIONING THE LINES THAT DEFINE, SEPARATE AND EMPOWER EACH TRADITION. IT DRAWS TOGETHER TWO DISTINCT AND DISTANT MARGINAL GROUPS. YET THE UNUSUAL JUXTAPOSITION BETWEEN EMBROIDERY AND TATTOO MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT EXPOSES AN UNDERLYING METAPHOR INTRINSIC TO BOTH MARGINAL GROUPS. IT IS THROUGH THE RECOGNITION OF SHARED METAPHORS THAT CULTURAL HIERARCHIES AND PERSONAL PREJUDICES BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN. INTRINSIC TO THE PROJECT IS THAT IT BE SHOWN IN A WIDE RANGE OF VENUES INCLUDING TATTOO PARLORS AND CONVENTIONS, WOMENÕS VENUES SUCH AS BOOK STORES, COLLEGES AND FEMINIST GATHERINGS, ALTERNATIVE ART AND NON-PROFIT GALLERIES, CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS, FOLK ART & CRAFT MUSEUMS, DOLL AND EMBROIDERY SHOWS, UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE GALLERIES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TATTOO BABY DOLL PROJECT VISIT YOUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE FORWARD INTERESTED VENUE OR CURATORIAL CONTACTS TO ME AND I WILL INVITE THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE PROJECT FURTHER. THE PROCESS OF CASTING IRON IS POWERFUL AND FASCINATING. QUITE OFTEN THE MEANS BY WHICH AN OBJECT OF IRON IS CREATED HOLDS MORE INTRIGUE AND INTENSITY THAN THE OBJECT ITSELF. THIS IS THE BASIS OF MY WORK. WITHIN ONE PIECE LIE MANY ART FORMS: FIRST, THE PERFORMANCE OF MELTING AND POURING MOLTEN METAL; SECOND, THE STRUCTURE THROUGH WHICH THE METAL TRAVELS, AND FINALLY, THE SURFACE WHICH THE METAL IS POURED UPON. EACH OF THESE STANDS ALONE AS A SINGULAR WORK OF ART, OR AS ONE ALL ENCOMPASSING PIECE. VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION ARE ALSO INCLUDED AS WORKS OF ART. MY EXPERIMENTS WITH MOLTEN IRON HAVE SPAWNED NUMEROUS VARIATIONS IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE CASTING PROCESS: NO LONGER DOES THE END RESULT COMPLETELY DEFINE THE ART FORM. IT IS, IN FACT, THE PROCESS OF MELTING AND POURING THE METAL WHICH HAS BECOME THE ARTWORK. STRUCTURES ARE CREATED TO LIFT AND MANIPULATE THE METAL WHEN IN LIQUID FORM. IN SOME CASES THE STRUCTURE THAT REMAINS SERVES MORE AS DOCUMENTATION OF THE EVENT AND LESS AS AN OBJECT OF ART. AS EXPERIMENTS CONTINUE, THE EVENT AND THE STRUCTURE WILL BECOME TWO PARTS OF THE SAME PIECE, THOUGH THEY ARE SEPARATE. FURTHERMORE, MOLTEN METAL HAS BECOME A TOOL FOR MARK MAKING. SIMILAR TO A GOUGE, HOT METAL CAN BURN AND SCAR NUMEROUS SURFACES FOR VARIOUS RESULTS. WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CONCEPT NEW ELEMENTS ARE INTRODUCED (STONE, WATER, ICE) TO INTERACT WITH THE IRON. AS A RESULT, THE FUNCTION OF IRON IS ALTERED ONCE AGAIN.

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I AM A LIVING ENTITY THROUGH WHICH THINGS FLOW. INFORMATION, IDEAS, AIR, WATER, POLLUTANTS, FOOD, EXPECTATIONS, ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATIONS. I FEEL THAT I HAVE A FRAGMENTED IDENTITY, WHICH IS CONTINUOUSLY SHIFTING ITS PERSPECTIVE BASED UPON WHAT OBJECTS MY BODY COMES INTO CONTACT WITH. MY TRAINING AS AN ARTIST WAS GROUNDED IN PERFORMANCE ART, VIDEO, AND TWO DIMENSIONAL VISUAL ART, AS WELL AS ART HISTORY. MY IDEAS REFLECT THIS TRAINING. MY WORK ETHIC IS BASED ON HARD PHYSICAL LABOR WHICH IS ROOTED IN THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A CATHOLIC FAMILY. MY FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS AS AN ARTIST ARE WITH NOTIONS OF RANDOMNESS AND ABSURDITY, CONCEPTS WHICH BEST DESCRIBE UNIVERSAL REALITY FOR ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL. THESE CONCEPTS ARE THE CORE OF WHAT I ATTEMPT TO EXPRESS IN MY ART. I FEEL MOST CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE IDEAS OF THE DADA MOVEMENT, OF EARLY PERFORMANCE HISTORY, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE EXPERIMENTATION WHICH WENT ON DURING THE GERMAN PHASE OF THE BAUHAUS. MY ART IS ABOUT EXPERIMENTATION. IT IS ABOUT ABSURDITY. IT IS ABOUT RANDOMNESS. IT LENDS ITSELF MORE TO THE CONCEPTUAL TRADITION OF THE 20TH CENTURY ART WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY I WORK FAST AND WORK IN MANY DIFFERENT MEDIUMS ATTEMPTING TO EXPRESS THESE CONCEPTS, BE IT 3 X 100 FT. COLLAGE SCROLLS OR STAPLING ART TO TELEPHONE POLES OR PERFORMING ANONYMOUSLY IN A PUBLIC PARK OR PUTTING ARTWORK ON PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION, PAINTING FURIOUSLY OR USING JUNK AS COLLAGE MATERIAL; MY WORK IS QUICK AND ACCUMULATIVE AND DEFINITELY CONCEPTUAL. IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE IDEALISM OF ART, THE IDEA THAT ART IS TRANSFORMATIVE, HEALING, AND FUNDAMENTALLY HUMAN. SO THIS IS MY ARTIST'S STATEMENT. THANKS FOR READING IT. I AM FASCINATED BY HOW CATACLYSMIC EVENTS IMPACT LIFE. LIFE IS EPHEMERAL AND SUPERFICIAL REALITY AN ILLUSION. NO MATTER WHAT STEPS WE TAKE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST THREATS TO OUR SURVIVAL, THERE ARE ULTIMATELY NO GUARANTEES. WE WILL NEVER BE IN TOTAL CONTROL. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ENTITLE US TO SIT IN THE BLEACHERS OF THE GAME OF LIFE, WAITING TO GET HIT BY A BALL. MY ART, AS THAT OF MOST ARTISTS, IS A RESPONSE TO MY ENVIRONMENT. THE INTERNET, NEWS PROGRAMS AND THE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN FRIENDS AND STRANGERS ALL SERVE AS RAW MATERIALS FOR THE CREATION OF MY WORK. THE GREATEST EXCITEMENT FOR ME IS GENERATED BY SOLVING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXECUTION OF MY IDEAS. FINDING THE RIGHT INFORMATION, IMAGES, AND SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE TECHNIQUE FOR REPRESENTING MY THOUGHTS IS WHAT GIVES MY DAY ITÕS MEANING. WOULD IT BE MORE EFFECTIVE TO USE HUMOR, SATIRE OR SHOCK TO ILLUSTRATE MY THOUGHTS? HOW CAN I CREATE THE MOST POWERFUL WORK TO REPRESENT THE FEELINGS OF MY SOUL? I DO NOT LIMIT MYSELF TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR MATERIAL OR FORM TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS. I SELECT WHATEVER I DEEM TO BE THE MOST SUITABLE MEDIUM OR FORMAT FOR THE EXPRESSION OF MY THOUGHTS AND THE CREATION OF THE STRONGEST WORK. I FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ARTIST TO DO THIS IN THE HOPE OF TOUCHING THE HUMAN HEART AND PREVENTING THIS WORLD FROM CAREENING TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. I DO NOT SEE THE CREATION OF BEAUTY OR NOVELTY AS THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF ART, BUT INSTEAD, FEEL THAT ART SHOULD ENGAGE THE HEART AND MIND, AND, THEREBY, HOPEFULLY CHANGE THIS WORLD INTO A MORE PEACEFUL ONE. A PORCELAIN ARTIST WITH A BS IN THE SCIENCES AND A MASTERS OF FINE ARTS, HAS BEEN A HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS TEACHER FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. IN HIS EVOLVING OCTAHEDRAL PORCELAIN PROCESS, EFFORTLESSLY COMBINES ELEMENTS FROM BOTH THE SCIENCES AND THE ARTS. SEVEN YEARS IN ITS EVOLUTION, THIS APPROACH TO SCULPTING SPHERICAL PORCELAIN VESSELS FOCUSES ON COMBINING THE EXACTITUDE OF MEASUREMENT, THE MATHEMATICS OF THE SPHERE AND EXERCISES IN GEOMETRY WITH THE UNIQUE AESTHETICS OF EMBEDDED DESIGN. ART DRAWS ITS INSPIRATION FROM HIS ARABIC HERITAGE. HIS WORKS BRING TOGETHER IN THREE DIMENSIONS THE SAME SYMMETRICAL ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE THE BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ISLAMIC SACRED ART. HISTORICALLY, ISLAMIC ARTISTS MASTERED THE APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICS TO PATTERNED TILINGS BECAUSE THEIR WORK COULD CONTAIN NO GRAVEN IMAGES. THESE INTERLACED DESIGNS EMBODY AN UNBROKEN RHYTHM, REGULARITY AND INTERWOVENNESS THAT ONLY SUCH ABSTRACT FORMS CAN CONVEY. FINISHED VESSELS INTRODUCE CURVATURE TO THE EMBEDDED DESIGNS, AT ONCE BOTH NATURAL AND ABSTRACT, BRINGING A NEW DIMENSION TO THE GEOMETRIC ART EXPERIENCE. DESIGNS, HOWEVER, UNLIKE TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC DESIGN, ALSO COMBINE BOTH CHAOS AND ORDER IN A SYMMETRICALLY UNIFIED "WHOLE." APPROACH TO DESIGN IN PORCELAIN ALSO DRAWS FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER ARTIST/SCIENTISTS IN HISTORY, MOST NOTABLY BUCKMINSTER FULLER, WHO EXPLORED THE ENERGETIC GEOMETRY OF THE SPHERE IN HIS "SYNERGETIC GEOMETRY" AND WAS BEST KNOWN AS THE INVENTOR OF THE GEODESIC DOME. AS HE BEGAN TO BRING BUCKY'S APPROACH FROM SYNERGETICS INTO HIS EFFORTS TO DIVIDE THE SPHERE, DEFINE THE PLANES OF TRUNCATION OF POLYHEDRA TO FORM MODULES AND TO RECOMBINE THE MODULES INTO NEW FORMS, THE MORE BEAUTIFUL AND HARMONIOUS THE RESULTING DESIGNS HAVE BECOME. THE EMBEDDED GEOMETRIC DESIGN PATTERNS OF THESE UNIQUE PORCELAIN VESSELS EMBODY MANY OF FULLER'S ELABORATIONS OF SYNERGETICS, A GEOMETRIC SYSTEM BASED ON HIS ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND "NATURE'S DESIGN." EXAMINES THE EFFECTS OF TOTALITARIANISM, SURVEILLANCE, QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION, AND MUTATION ON BOTH THE VICTIMS OF SARS AND THOSE SPARED BY THE SCOURGE OF THIS AND OTHER DISEASES. HIS CONCLUSION: NO MATTER WHAT STEPS WE TAKE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST THIS DISEASE AND OTHER THREATS TO SURVIVAL, THERE ARE ULTIMATELY NO GUARANTEES. LIFE IS EPHEMERAL. WE WILL NEVER BE IN TOTAL CONTROL. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ENTITLE US TO SIT IN THE BLEACHERS OF THE GAME OF LIFE, WAITING TO GET HIT BY A BALL. IN THE ÕS STUDIED PAINTING IN TAIPEI UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE CONTEMPORARY ARTIST, . FEELING CONFINED BY THE ARTISTIC ENVIRONMENT OF TAIPAI, IN 'S HE MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE STUDIED ART & DESIGN AT THE PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND PRATT INSTITUTE. HE GRADUATED WITH A MASTERS DEGREE FROM PRATT. AT THE NEW SCHOOL, JOHN BRZOSTOSKI INTRODUCED TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAO-TSU. THIS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON HIM AND HIS ART. FOR LAO TSU, THE ULTIMATE PARADOX CONCERNS THE NATURE OF REALITY ITSELF. HE REGARDED SUPERFICIAL REALITY AS AN ILLUSION. TRUE REALITY, IN HIS OPINION, IS HIDDEN FROM US BY OUR USE OF WORDS. LAO TSUÕS WORD FOR THIS HIDDEN REALITY IS ÒTAOÓ. CHIN CHIH BEGAN TO INCORPORATE TAOIST CONCEPTS INTO HIS PAINTINGS. IN THE LATE 90ÕS, ESTABLISHED 123SOHO.COM AS A LIBRARY OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. HE SERVES AS THE CURATOR OF THE WEBSITE SINCE . CURRENTLY, 123SOHO HAS APPROXIMATELY ARTISTS. CHIN CHIH REGARDS 123SOHO AS A LIVING PIECE OF ART THAT CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVES. CHIN CHIHÕS FIRST IMAGE IN THIS SERIES IS ENTITLED ÒI AM READYÓ. IT WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE WAR ON AIDS IN , ADAPTED TO THE CRISIS GENERATED BY EVENTS OF 9/11, AND TAILORED TO THE IRAQ WAR. IT DEPICTS A MANÕS GENITALIA MODESTLY COVERED BY A WORLD WAR ONE GAS MASK. I BEGIN MY WORK WITH WHITE FABRIC BECAUSE I SEE ITS POSSIBILITIES. FABRIC CAN BE USED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. IT IS AN OBEDIENT, FORGIVING MATERIAL. I WANT EVERY PROCESS AND TECHNIQUE THAT I USE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTENT OF MY WORK SO I DYE, PRINT AND PAINT MY OWN IMAGES. THE NATURE OF FABRIC IS THAT IT ACCEPTS COLOR AND SO IT IS MORE RESPONSIVE TO ME. I LIKE TO YIELD TO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PROCESS WHILE WORKING. FABRIC IS SENSUAL AND CAN BE MANIPULATED. IT CAN BE MADE TO HAVE WEIGHT, MASS, AND TEXTURE. IT CREATES ATMOSPHERE BY REFLECTING AND CHANGING ITS APPEARANCE IN LIGHT. FOR ME, THE RESULT IS A MATERIAL WITH THE POTENTIAL OF AN INFINITE EXPANSION OF EXPRESSION AND FORM. I PLACE MYSELF SOLIDLY IN A TEXTILE TRADITION AND BECAUSE OF THAT I FEEL FREE TO USE ANY TEXTILE TECHNIQUE THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO MY WORK. I LOOK BACK IN HISTORY TO SEE WHERE I CAME FROM, BUT THE NEW COMES THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING. AS IT WAS WITH MY PREDECESSORS, THE EMBROIDERERS, QUILTERS AND LACE MAKERS WHO WORKED WITH FABRIC AND THREAD, TIME IS NOT A FACTOR WHEN I WORK. I DO NOT CHOOSE TO REJECT A TECHNIQUE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS LABORIOUS. I BASE MY WORK ON GEOLOGICAL RATHER THAN TV TIME. I AM OBSESSED WITH EVERY COLORED SPOT OF DYE AND HOW IT LOOKS NEXT TO ANOTHER COLORED SPOT. THE USE OF MY FABRICS HAS LED ME TO CREATE A BODY OF WORK THAT BEGINS FROM THE DYEING AND PRINTING OF THE FABRIC TO ITS CONSTRUCTION ON THE SEWING MACHINE. USING THE TECHNIQUE OF FREE-MOTION EMBROIDERY ON THE SEWING MACHINE HAS ALLOWED ME TO INTRODUCE TEXTURE AND LACE IN MY WORK, AND TO BUILD THE QUILTS IN A UNIQUE WAY. RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTING AND SEWING THEM IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY, I SEW THE WORK BY PIECING THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS TOGETHER USING APPLIQUƒ, QUILTING, SEWING MACHINE LACE AND EMBROIDERY. THE LACE WORK THAT JOINS THE PIECES TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE RESULTING NEGATIVE SPACE. THIS ENABLES ME TO ELIMINATE THE BACKGROUND THAT IS USUALLY USED TO HOLD THE IMAGE TOGETHER. I WANT THE TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE MY SUBJECT. WITH THE BASIC THEME OF PARADISE AND THE USE OF MY IMAGERY I AM ABLE TO USE THE VARIOUS FORMS OF PLANT LIFE, FLOWERS, VINES, STEMS, AND INSECTS. MY OBJECTIVE IS TO PRODUCE A SERIES OF QUILTS THAT ARE MOTIVATED BY METAPHORS OF PARADISE AND THE EVOCATIVE USE OF NATURE TO INSPIRE SPIRITUAL AND UPLIFTING FEELINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO PLACE MYSELF WITH THOSE ARTISTS WHO HAVE ESTABLISHED AN UNBROKEN HISTORY OF WORKS OF ART DEALING WITH THE THEME OF PARADISE. THE SUBJECTS THAT I WISH TO ADDRESS ARE LARGELY TRADITIONAL, SUCH AS TREES, GARDEN, FLOWERS, ANIMALS, FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. THESE VISUAL IMAGES OFFER ME ASSOCIATIONS WITH MANY LEVELS OF MEANING. JAPANESE SCREENS AND 1ST CENTURY ROMAN GARDEN ROOMS ARE HISTORICAL EXAMPLES THAT USE NATURE SYMBOLISM. THE WALL PAINTINGS IN IMPERIAL ROMAN GARDEN ROOMS OF THE LATE1ST CENTURY BC AND EARLY 1ST CENTURY AD WERE RICH WITH SYMBOLISM. IN THESE ROOMS PEOPLE COULD REFRESH THEIR MINDS WHILE CONTEMPLATING NATURE. THE SAME CONTEMPLATION WAS USED AS THE BASIS FOR JAPANESE SCREENS. THE IMAGES ON THE SCREENS WERE MEANT TO INSPIRE A FEELING FOR THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND THE JAPANESE IDEA OF MONO-NO-AWARE, THE "PATHOS OF THINGS". I CHOOSE TREES, LEAVES, FLOWERS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND INSECTS FOR SIMILAR REASONS. I WANT TO CONSTRUCT THE CHARACTER OF NATURE AND PARADISE FROM ITS SMALLER PARTS. I ALSO WANT TO BRING PERPETUAL SUMMER INDOORS, THE COOL OF THE FOREST, THE HEAT IN THE MEADOW AND THE WHINE OF INSECTS IN THE GRASS. I CAN PAINT ON SITE FROM LIFE OR ENTIRELY FROM PHOTOGRAPHIC REFERENCE ALTHOUGH MY PREFERENCE IS TO USE A MIXTURE OF REFERENCE MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES TO HEIGHTEN THE VISUAL RELATIONSHIP. I BEGIN WITH LIFE SITTINGS, GATHERING AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLIENT AND POSE AS IS NECESSARY. COMPOSITIONAL AND FEATURE SKETCHES AND COLOUR REFERENCE CHARTS ARE NOTED FOR ACCURACY AND A SERIES OF BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TAKEN FOR FORM AND STRUCTURE. I CARRY OUT MOST OF THE WORK IN MY STUDIO, WHICH OFTEN FAVOURS THE CLIENTÕS SCHEDULE AND PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OVERLY SYMPATHETIC OR BIASED APPROACH ( THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE MOST ACCURATE ). FINALLY, I RETURN TO COMPLETE THE PORTRAIT FROM LIFE, USUALLY ONLY A FEW SITTINGS ARE NECESSARY AND AT THIS POINT THE CLIENT WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE ADVICE ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES. AFTER THE PAINTING HAS BEEN RESOLVED, I BUILD A FRAME AS A FINISH TO THE WORK AND TO ADD SUPPORT TO THE CANVAS, HOWEVER, IF A MORE ELABORATE FRAME IS MORE SUITABLE, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO OFFER MY OPINION. I SEPARATE PORTRAITURE FROM ART THE SAME WAY ONE WOULD WITH WORK AND PLAY. EVEN THOUGH I ENJOY BOTH EQUALLY, PORTRAITURE DEMANDS RESPECT, WHEREAS MY ART IS FOUNDED BY A PERSONAL, PSYCHOANALYTICAL EXPERIMENT, NO USE TO ANYONE AND GENERALLY PURCHASED BY NO ONE. THE COMMITMENT TO PORTRAITURE ENCOURAGES THE FRIVOLITY IN MY ART HOWEVER IT ENABLES ME TO AVOID EVER INCREASING COMMERCIAL POPULARITY. IN PORTRAIT PAINTING THE REPUTATIONS OF BOTH ARTIST AND CLIENT ARE IN THE BALANCE, THEREFORE COMPROMISE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION. HARMONY CAN BE FOUND BETWEEN THE PAINTERS IDEALISTIC AMBITION AND THE CLIENTÕS PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS. WE MUST USE AN INTUITIVE DISCRETION TO FIND SENSITIVITY, EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING, VIRTUES THAT FORM THE ESSENCE OF ANY SUCCESSFUL WORK. PORTRAITURE PROVIDES A SOCIAL PLATFORM ON WHICH ONE CAN ASPIRE TO BELONG, INTRODUCING EXAMPLES OF COMMON REALITY WITH INSPIRATIONAL POSSIBILITY. THE ARTIST IS THE MEDIUM, THE CONTROL ELEMENT NEEDED TO UNITE AND HAS THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO PROJECT THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF DIFFERENCE AND ELIMINATE THE DISCRIMINATORY STIGMAS ATTACHED TO RACE, CLASS AND SEX. THE PORTFOLIO BECOMES A SOCIAL VOCABULARY UNIVERSALLY READ, UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED BY ALL. I BUILD ELECTRONIC MACHINES THAT INTERACT WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT. MY HOPE IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE OBSERVING AND CONTEMPLATING WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING. AN OBSERVER IS ESSENTIAL TO WHAT I CREATE, AND IT IS THIS ACTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBJECT AND VIEWER THAT I STRIVE TO CALL INTO ATTENTION. BY MAKING THE OBSERVATION AND INTERACTION WITH OBJECTS THE FOCUS OF MY WORK I'M TRYING TO RE-THINK THE WAY I INTERACT WITH OBJECTS IN MY OWN ENVIRONMENT. I AM SELF TAUGHT IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRONICS AND EVERYTHING I BUILD IS A PERSONAL EXPLORATION INTO THE FUNCTIONING OF DEVICES OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED. WHILE THE PRACTICAL FUNCTIONING OF THE DEVICES I CREATE OFTEN SEEM SIMPLE, THEY ARE FOR THE MOST PART CONSTRUCTED OUT OF RAW COMPONENTS AND CAN BE QUITE COMPLEX. FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY A LIGHT BULB IS TRIGGERED TO FLASH WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON IS STANDING IN FRONT OF IT TRIGGERING A MOTION SENSOR. SIMPLE IN OPERATION BUT COMPLEX TO ACTUALLY BUILD. I ENJOY BUILDING INTERACTIVE DEVICES, AND I DERIVE A GREAT DEAL OF SATISFACTION FROM THE PROBLEM SOLVING AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THEM. IT IS MY HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCE MY WORK, THEY QUESTION BOTH THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PIECE OF ART THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AND OF OTHER OBJECTS THEY INTERACT WITH DAILY. MASTER'S DEGREE IN FINE ARTS FROM THE GERRIT RIETVELD ACADEMY OF ART IN AMSTERDAM, WHERE SHE STUDIED PAINTING, DRAWING, GRAPHICS AND ART HISTORY. FOLLOWING HER FORMAL TRAINING, SHE UNDERTOOK EXTENSIVE TRAVELS TO COUNTRIES AS WIDESPREAD AS AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, POLYNESIA, JAPAN, CHINA, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA,AND HER EXPOSURE TO VARIED AND UNFAMILIAR CULTURES IS REFLECTED IN BOTH THE TECHNIQUE AND THE CONTENT OF HER WORK. ELEONORA TAMMES HAS EXHIBITED HER ARTWORK IN GALLERIES THROUGHOUT THE NETHERLANDS, SWITZERLAND, ENGLAND AND THE U.S.A. THE WORKS ON PAPER BY ELEONORA TAMMES ARE NON-FIGURATIVE. A RHYTHMIC BUILD-UP, THE SUGGESTION OF CHANGE, ORGANIC PROCESSES, FORM REPETITIONS AND STRUCTURES DOMINATE THE COMPOSITIONS. CENTRAL IS THE COMBINATION OF SHAPES AND LINE PATTERNS, COLOR SHADES AND MOVEMENT. CLOSE STUDY OF HER WORK REVEALS A FASCINATION WITH FORM AND PROPORTION. AS IF, FOR HER, PAINTING IS A MATTER AND MANNER OF RESEARCH INTO THE WAYS ELEMENTS OF FORM RELATE AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. HER INTENTION IS TO DISCOVER AND EMPLOY THE INTERPLAYS OF LIGHT, SHAPE, COLOR AND STRUCTURE. NOT AS A GOAL IN ITSELF, BUT TO ACHIEVE AND EXPRESS DEEPER UNDER- STANDING OF WHAT MATTERS IN OUR OWN EXISTENCE. ELEONORA TAMMES INTERPRETS AND RENDERS THE INTRINSIC OF REALITY THROUGH A WAY OF WORKING THAT ENABLES HER TO LINK DISTANCE TO INTENSITY AND REPETITION TO DYNAMICS AND EVOLUTION. COMBINING PAINTING (ACRYLICS) AND DRAWING (PAINTMARKER), SHE GENERATES HER COMPOSITIONS BY (IR)REGULAR REPETITION OF A BASIC MOTIF. SUCH A 'BUIDING STONE' , OFTEN WITH AN ABSTRACT ORGANIC SIGNATURE, IS STACKED,± HUNG, OR OTHERWISE ARRANGED TO BECOME (PART OF) A CONDITION, ATMOSPHERE, FUNCTION, TISSUE, SPACE, ORGANISM,.... . CONSEQUENTLY, MANY OF HER PAINTINGS HAVE A CERAMIC, SCULPTURAL OR EVEN ARCHITECTONIC OVERTONE. ELEONORA TAMMES: WHO IS OPERATING IN THE GAP BETWEEN THE ABSTRACT AND THE FIGURATIVE, EVOKES A RESPONSE FROM A DEEP LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS WITH HER STARK, POWERFUL IMAGERY. SHE IS AN EXPLORER OF THE INTERWOVEN PATTERNS OF EARTH, SPACE AND TIME. EMPLOYING A SUBDUED PALETTE OF MUTED EARTH COLORS, SHE EMPLOYS SUBTLY SUGGESTIVE FORMS WHICH CONVEY A SENSE OF PRIMITIVE ARCHETYPE WITHOUT EVER FORMALLY ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES, LEAVING THE VIEWER FREE TO INDENTIFY THE PRIMORDIAL SHAPES INDEPENDENTLY. AT ONCE PURE ABSTRACTION AND PROVOCATIVE ALLUSION, HER MOTIFS SEEM TO DRAW BOTH THE PREHISTORIC AND THE CONCEPTUAL FOR THEIR SOURCES.TAMMES CHARTS THE INNER PROCESS OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE PHYSICAL INTO THE METAPHYSICAL. VIGNETTES ABOUT EVERYTHING THIS WEB COMIC IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF IDEAS, IDEOLOGIES AND PHILOSOPHIES. AS WITH ALL MY WORKS IT IS PERSONAL AND IDIOSYNCRATIC. THE SCOPE OF SUBJECT IN THIS PROJECT IS FAR WIDER FROM WHAT I'VE EXPLORED BEFORE. THE POLITICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY EXPLORED IN THIS COMIC ARE ALL BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD. IT IS, AT TIMES, AND EVEN AT THE SAME TIME; ABSURD AND FUNNY; SAD AND LONELY; POIGNANT AND POLITICAL. IT HAS EXPLORED, IN A SENSE, EVERYTHING. I BELIEVE EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED; FROM THE COFFEE CUPS ON OUR CLASSROOM TABLE, TO THE COFFEE BEAN PLANTATIONS IN PERU; FROM THE PAPER IN OUR SKETCHBOOKS TO THE FORESTS OF THE OTTAWA VALLEY; FROM THE MICROSCOPIC BEINGS LIVING IN OUR FOOD TO THE ABSURDITY OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES - I WANTED TO EXPLORE AS MUCH OF IT AS I COULD. IN A SMALL WAY, IT ALSO ATTEMPTS TO CREATE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SIXTEEN STUDENTS THROWN TOGETHER IN OUR "SQUARE" GROUP. IN COMMENTING ON OUR DISPARATE "NATIONAL" HISTORIES, AND MAKING FUN OF OUR RELATIVE (AT LEAST IN MY OWN CASE) IGNORANCE OF EACH OTHER'S CULTURES, I TRIED TO, AT THE SAME TIME TOUCH UPON OUR HUMAN SIMILARITIES AND FOIBLES. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS ABOUT OUR COMMONALITY; ABOUT THE EVERYTHING ABOUT US; ABOUT OUR INTER-CONNECTEDNESS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, AFTER A GROUP CRITIQUE WITH IAN AND ALL THE ÒSQUARESÓ, I DID A SKETCH CHARACTERIZING MY CLASSMATES AND THEIR IDEAS FOR THIS SQUARE PROJECT. AFTER SOME LESS THAN SUCCESSFUL WORK ON SOME OTHER IDEAS, I CAME BACK TO THIS SKETCH AND USED THESE 16 PEOPLE AS THE BASIS OF AN INTERACTIVE COMIC WHICH ENDED UP EXPLORING FAR MORE THAN A CRITIQUE IN AN ART SCHOOL. IN RELATION TO THE 16 PEOPLE, I ADDED 16 OBJECTS FOUND WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, AND FINALLY, THE 16 COUNTRIES OR PLACES THAT EACH THEM CAME FROM. FROM EACH OF THESE 48 PANELS, I DEVELOPED A 4 PANEL COMIC THAT WOULD NOT ONLY WORK ON IT'S OWN, BUT WHEN CONNECTED WITH AND SEEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 47 OTHER SHORT COMICS, WOULD PROVIDE A DEEPER LOOK INTO OUR SEEMINGLY NORMAL EVERYDAY LIVES. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE VIGNETTES - AS I'VE NOW CALLED THEM - ARE ABSURD, RANDOM AND FUNNY, I THINK THERE IS A TRUTH IN EACH OF THEM. I WANTED A HEALTHY MIXTURE OF HUMOR, LOVE, POLITICS, AND ENVIRONMENTALISM ALL TIED TOGETHER IN A SEMI-AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MANNER. THE END RESULT IS QUITE EFFECTIVE. THIS IS A GRAPHIC EXPLORATION OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF OUR WORLD AND MY PLACE IN IT, HERE AT LONDON COLLEGE OF PRINTING, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. IT ILLUSTRATES HOW IMAGES AND WORDS CAN BE COMBINED IN A SYNERGISTIC MANNER INTO POWERFUL, DEEP, COMPLEX COMMUNICATION AND EVEN, PERHAPS, COMMUNION. I SHOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF FLOWERS THROUGH MY PAINTINGS. THERE THEY BLOOM FOREVER IN A RATHER UNCERTAIN WORLD. MY WORK IS A FORM OF STABILITY, CAPTURING AND HOLDING THE ESSENCE OF THE MOMENT FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY - A STATEMENT THAT LIFE IS EXTRAORDINARY. I FIND CLOTH BODIED BABY DOLLS AT THRIFT SHOPS AND SEND THEM TO TATTOO ARTISTS WHO THEN DRAW ORIGINAL TATTOOS DIRECTLY ON THE DOLLS. THEY SEND THE DOLLS BACK TO ME AND I HAND EMBROIDER THE IMAGES ON THE CLOTH BODIES. TWELVE OF SIXTEEN DOLLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE. THE DOLLS, LIKE THEIR ARTISTS, ARE OF DIFFERENT RACES, RELIGIOUS AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. EACH COLLABORATING ARTIST IS ASKED TO CONSIDER HER RESPONSE TO TATTOOING THE DOLL ALONG WITH MY FEEDBACK AND RESPONSE TO EMBROIDERING THE DOLL. FROM THERE SHE IS ENCOURAGED TO NAME AND THEN WRITE A SHORT STATEMENT OR STORY ABOUT HER DOLL. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT SINCE 1998. THE IDEA ORIGINATED WHILE I WAS IN RESIDENCE AT THE HEADLANDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS. WHILE STUDYING THE HISTORY OF EMBROIDERY, I WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY FASCINATED BY ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE TATTOOS I WAS SEEING IN SAN FRANCISCO. LIKE EMBROIDERY, TATTOO SEEMED TO CARRY ON A SIMILAR TRADITION OF DEEPLY SYMBOLIC IMAGES THAT WORKED TO FORM COMMUNITY AND SERVED TO DEFINE AND EMPOWER THOSE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS WAYS. I CHOSE TO RECYCLE AND TRANSFORM USED AND DISCARDED DOLLS AS A DIRECT VEHICLE FOR MERGING THE TWO ART FORMS. THE TATTOO BABY DOLL PROJECT SERVES TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND PREJUDICES ABOUT WOMENÕS WORK AND ROLES, TATTOO SUBCULTURE, CRAFT AND ART. THE PROJECT STRIKES A SUBTLE BALANCE BETWEEN THESE VARIED TRADITIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENT, THUS QUESTIONING THE LINES THAT DEFINE, SEPARATE AND EMPOWER EACH TRADITION. IT DRAWS TOGETHER TWO DISTINCT AND DISTANT MARGINAL GROUPS. YET THE UNUSUAL JUXTAPOSITION BETWEEN EMBROIDERY AND TATTOO MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT EXPOSES AN UNDERLYING METAPHOR INTRINSIC TO BOTH MARGINAL GROUPS. IT IS THROUGH THE RECOGNITION OF SHARED METAPHORS THAT CULTURAL HIERARCHIES AND PERSONAL PREJUDICES BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN. INTRINSIC TO THE PROJECT IS THAT IT BE SHOWN IN A WIDE RANGE OF VENUES INCLUDING TATTOO PARLORS AND CONVENTIONS, WOMENÕS VENUES SUCH AS BOOK STORES, COLLEGES AND FEMINIST GATHERINGS, ALTERNATIVE ART AND NON-PROFIT GALLERIES, CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS, FOLK ART & CRAFT MUSEUMS, DOLL AND EMBROIDERY SHOWS, UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE GALLERIES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TATTOO BABY DOLL PROJECT VISIT YOUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE FORWARD INTERESTED VENUE OR CURATORIAL CONTACTS TO ME AND I WILL INVITE THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE PROJECT FURTHER. THE PROCESS OF CASTING IRON IS POWERFUL AND FASCINATING. QUITE OFTEN THE MEANS BY WHICH AN OBJECT OF IRON IS CREATED HOLDS MORE INTRIGUE AND INTENSITY THAN THE OBJECT ITSELF. THIS IS THE BASIS OF MY WORK. WITHIN ONE PIECE LIE MANY ART FORMS: FIRST, THE PERFORMANCE OF MELTING AND POURING MOLTEN METAL; SECOND, THE STRUCTURE THROUGH WHICH THE METAL TRAVELS, AND FINALLY, THE SURFACE WHICH THE METAL IS POURED UPON. EACH OF THESE STANDS ALONE AS A SINGULAR WORK OF ART, OR AS ONE ALL ENCOMPASSING PIECE. VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION ARE ALSO INCLUDED AS WORKS OF ART. MY EXPERIMENTS WITH MOLTEN IRON HAVE SPAWNED NUMEROUS VARIATIONS IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE CASTING PROCESS: NO LONGER DOES THE END RESULT COMPLETELY DEFINE THE ART FORM. IT IS, IN FACT, THE PROCESS OF MELTING AND POURING THE METAL WHICH HAS BECOME THE ARTWORK. STRUCTURES ARE CREATED TO LIFT AND MANIPULATE THE METAL WHEN IN LIQUID FORM. IN SOME CASES THE STRUCTURE THAT REMAINS SERVES MORE AS DOCUMENTATION OF THE EVENT AND LESS AS AN OBJECT OF ART. AS EXPERIMENTS CONTINUE, THE EVENT AND THE STRUCTURE WILL BECOME TWO PARTS OF THE SAME PIECE, THOUGH THEY ARE SEPARATE. FURTHERMORE, MOLTEN METAL HAS BECOME A TOOL FOR MARK MAKING. SIMILAR TO A GOUGE, HOT METAL CAN BURN AND SCAR NUMEROUS SURFACES FOR VARIOUS RESULTS. WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CONCEPT NEW ELEMENTS ARE INTRODUCED (STONE, WATER, ICE) TO INTERACT WITH THE IRON. AS A RESULT, THE FUNCTION OF IRON IS ALTERED ONCE AGAIN.